耶利米書 1
1 本雅明地內阿納托特城的司祭中，希耳克雅的兒子耶肋米亞的言行錄。──
The words of Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah, one of the priests, who dwelt in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin;
2 上主的話傳給，是在阿孟的兒子約史雅為猶大王執政第十三年；
to whom the word of Jehovah came in the days of Josiah, the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign;
3 以後傳給他，是在約史雅的兒子約雅金為猶大王，直到約史雅的兒子漆德雅為猶大王第十一年年底，即直到是年五月，耶路撒冷固民被擄去充軍時為止。
to whom it also came in the days of Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the carrying away of Jerusalem into captivity in the fifth month.
4 上主對我說：
The word of Jehovah came to me, saying:
5 「我還沒有在母腹形成你以前，我已認識了你；在你還沒有出離母胎以前，我已祝福了你，選定了你作萬民的先知。」
Before I formed thee in the womb, I knew thee; and before thou camest into the world, I chose thee; I appointed thee to be a prophet to the nations.
6 我回答說：「哎呀! 我主上主! 你看，我還太年輕，不會說話」。
Then said I, Alas, O Lord Jehovah! Behold, I am not able to speak; for I am a child.
7 上主對我說：「你別說：我太年輕，因為我派你到那裏去，你就應到那裏去；我命你說什麼，你就應說什麼。
But Jehovah said to me, Say not, I am a child; but go to whomever I send thee, and speak whatever I command thee!
8 你不要害怕他們，因為有我與你同在，保護你──上主的斷語。」
Be not afraid of them! For I am with thee to help thee, saith Jehovah.
9 此後，上主伸出手來，觸摸我的口，對我說：「看，我將我的話放在你口中；
Then Jehovah put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. Jehovah also said to me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.
10 看我今天委派你對萬民和邦列國，執行拔除、破壞、毀滅、推翻、建設和栽培的任務。」
Behold, I have set thee this day over nations and over kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to overthrow; and to build, and to plant.
11 上主的話傳給我說：「耶肋米亞，你看見什麼﹖」我回答說：「我看見一棵杏樹枝。」
Then the word of Jehovah came to me, saying, What seest thou, Jeremiah? And I said, I see a rod of almond-wood.
12 上主對我說：「你看的對，因為我要警醒，看我的話怎樣實現。」
And Jehovah said to me, Thou hast seen right; for I am watchful over my word to perform it.
13 上主的話二次傳給我說：「你看見什麼﹖」我回答說：「我看見一個沸騰的鍋，它的口由北面傾倒過來。」
And the word of Jehovah came to me a second time, saying, What seest thou? And I said, I see a boiling pot, whose face is turned from the north.
14 上主對我說：「災禍將由北方燒起，一直燒到這地上的一切居民。
And Jehovah said to me, From the north shall evil break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land.
15 看，我必召集北方的一切國家──上主的斷語──叫各國前來，在城門口，在城牆四周以及猶大各城市旁，建立自己的寶座。
For, behold, I will call all the tribes of the kingdoms of the north, saith Jehovah; and they shall come, and shall set every one his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all her walls around, and against all the cities of Judah.
16 我要向各城市的人民宣告我的判決，懲罰他們的，因為他們離棄我，向別的神祗獻香，崇拜了他們手製的作品。
And I will pronounce my judgments against them for all their wickedness, in that they have forsaken me, and have burned incense to other gods, and worshipped the work of their own hands.
17 至於你，你要束上腰，起來向他們傳示我命令你的一切。在他們面前，你不要畏懼，免得我在他們面前令你畏懼。
Thou, therefore, gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak to them all that I command thee; be not afraid of them, lest I confound thee before them.
18 看啊! 我今天使你成為堅城、銅牆、鐵壁，以對抗猶大君王和首領，司祭和當地的人民。
For, behold, I make thee this day a fortified city, and a pillar of iron, and a wall of brass against all this land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land.
19 他們要攻擊你，卻不能得勝你，因為有我與你同在，協助你──上主的斷語。」
They shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against thee; for I will be with thee, saith Jehovah, to help thee.
